


The Devil Wears Elf Shoes

by alrightginger, FrustratedPoet1979



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Castle Crew Creations, Christmas, Christmas in...June??, F/M, Jilymas, Lily the unwilling Christmas Elf, frustratedginger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:35:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24866155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alrightginger/pseuds/alrightginger, https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrustratedPoet1979/pseuds/FrustratedPoet1979
Summary: In which James makes several blundering attempts to ask out the attractive elf working at Santa's grotto.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 32
Kudos: 85





	The Devil Wears Elf Shoes

**Author's Note:**

> It took us nearly two years to complete this fic, but we did it.

Once upon a time, James Potter had loved Christmas. 

As a child, he adored the sparkling lights on the Christmas trees, the smell of cinnamon and spice from the kitchen, the anticipation before the big day. The way perfect strangers would be nice to one another. He couldn’t wait to sit at the enormous dinner table with just his family, eating way too much food. He even loved the way his mum would get squiffy on sherry and start singing along to the _Les Mis_ soundtrack. He loved the laughter. 

But not anymore. 

Now he worked for Paulina Boils, a tyrant of a boss, who had the unrivaled skill of sucking the joy out of everything. Including James himself. 

He was supposed to be gaining experience working with an amazing magazine. He was _supposed_ to be learning from the very best. Instead he was reduced to making excuses as to why she had refused a meeting, fetching ridiculously complicated coffee orders, and babysitting her spoiled son during every school holiday and every overrunning meeting. 

James usually liked kids, and they _usually_ liked him, but not Tommy. He treated James like a servant. Demanding to be entertained, and to be fed the most specific of things. Currently he was demanding to go and see Santa, on the first day of December, before most of the shops even _had_ a Santa. 

James had really had it with this kid. He had managed to convince Pete the driver to take them into the town to try and find a Santa, but everywhere was rammed with people jostling and barging their way around, carrying way too many enormous bags. 

_Panic buying already?_

“Well this is just great,” he muttered to himself, sending a quick text to the keepers of his sanity, the group chat with his mates. 

**James to Marauders Assemble: SOS the child of Satan wants to see Santa and I can’t find one. Where should I take him?**

_Remus is typing..._

**Remus: There is a grotto in the new shopping centre just on the north side of town. I’ll send you the directions. Good luck.**

**Sirius: Nobody would judge you if you just left him there, you know.**

**James: Don’t tempt me lol**

**James: I would definitely be fired.**

**Sirius: But would it be worth it?**

James just knew they were laughing at him. 

“Well?” came the disapproving small voice from the back seat. “Have you managed to overcome your incompetence and find him?”

James plastered a big fake smile on his face, ignoring the way this _“child”_ spoke to him. 

“You bet buddy, and we’re going to go see him right now.” 

“I better not have to wait in line,” he huffed, crossing his arms. 

James ground his teeth as the smile became more of a fixed grimace. _You don’t need this. You should just quit and join the family business instead._ The voice inside his head, the one that always sounded so much like his dad’s, told him. But he had already invested too much of his time, effort, and sanity into this career choice. Especially when all he had to do was get by for just a few more months. 

Just six more months and he could hand over his burden to some other chump, and he would finally start a real job. _Six more months._ It had become his mantra. 

He typed the address into the sat nav since Pete was busy trying to get out of the space into the flowing stream of traffic. James glanced back at Tommy who was looking extremely bored, but he made no attempt to cheer him up or entertain him. Once upon a time perhaps he would have tried, but now he knew better. 

* * *

Lily _hated_ Christmas. 

She hated the way it became perfectly acceptable for strangers on the street to wish her a happy holiday at _seven in the bloody morning_ before she even had a proper chance of waking up. She hated the stupid fake tree she had to drag out of a box, _just_ so her cat could climb the damn thing and knock it over. How it became suddenly admissible for fucking _strangers_ to disrupt her binging of The Good Place for an extra festive version of _Carol of the Bells._ How everyone was always rushing about, attempting to finish their last minute shopping, and bumping into her in the process. 

She hated everything.

The whole lot of it. 

Down to every last twinkling light strung up on the trees surrounding her flat. 

But the thing she hated the most, the thing that was going right at the top of her fucking list, were the bloody _tights_ she was being forced into wearing for her new job. 

“God _dammit,”_ she groaned, tugging at the material helplessly, and hopping up and down. “You’re supposed to _stretch,_ fuck you!”

It was due to her own cursing - and _crashing,_ as she stumbled, landing flat on her arse in the dressing room - that Lily was unable to hear the knock on the door. She stood, pulling her tights up the remainder of the way, and quickly shoving her shoes on her feet when Mary’s voice floated through the door. 

“Lily! Santa’s village is all ready! We’re just waiting on you!”

“Tell them to give me two minutes!” shouted Lily, stomping her foot so the bells on her pointy shoes jingled. “It’s these fucking _tights_ again! There is no bloody way they are one size fits all!”

“Don’t be so dramatic, Lily.” The laughter in Mary’s voice infuriated Lily even more. “They just need to be broken in is all.”

_“Don’t_ start with me about my dramatics,” hissed Lily, pulling her dress on and fluffing her skirt up. “You sound like Petunia. I can be as dramatic as I please! It’s _your_ fault I’m in this mess anyway!”

“My fault!” cried Mary, and Lily could see the shimmy of Mary’s legs on the bottom of the door. No doubt tugging on her too-short dress. “We needed to pay _rent,_ Lily! I very much like having my own flat! And with Christmas -”

“Ugh, don’t even say that word,” said Lily, jamming the little hat on the top of her head and watching it flop pathetically to one side in the changing room mirror. “I’m going to have to hear it all fucking day as it is.”

“All I’m saying is that things are tight.”

“These fucking _tights_ are tight,” huffed Lily, opening the door and coming face to face with a very green and red trimmed Mary. “How do I look?”

“Like the prettiest elf in all of Santa’s Village,” beamed Mary. 

“God dammit. I was going for more of a _grunge_ aesthetic, if you know what I mean. Grungy elf.”

Mary sighed. “The nineties are over, Lily.”

* * *

  
  


Inside the shopping centre was a gaudy masterpiece made up of tinsel, fake snow, and plastic trees. Plonked right in the centre of the open space, right where the escalators curved up and around in some sort of mechanical ballet, was a collection of plastic gingerbread houses surrounded by a white picket fence with an archway being the only way in. There was an ever so slightly crooked sign hanging from the arch that said _Welcome to the North Pole!_ in glittery green lettering. 

_Oh my lord!_ James thought as he looked at the complete and total disaster of it all. 

He was no expert, but whoever had come up with this had a serious Christmas obsession This was his version of hell, and he wanted no part of this at all. As they got closer, he realized the Christmas music was getting louder and louder, only to be made worse by the singers sounding like they had taken helium. He was ready then and there to turn around, and pay Sirius to be Santa for this kid so he didn’t have to spend one more second in this Christmas nightmare. 

But then he saw her. 

A very bored looking red headed elf holding a clipboard. She was looking around as if she wanted to be anywhere else but where she was. She didn’t appear to be acting the part of the welcoming elf like she was supposed to be. There was something about her that looked familiar, but James had met so many people, he was sure he would have remembered such a stunning girl. 

Thankfully, there was only one other child waiting patiently in line with their parents before they got to the front, so James didn’t think he needed to resort to bribery to skip the que. Besides, he wanted a chance to talk to her, but there was only one problem. 

“Listen short stuff,” James turned round and said to the kid. “I know you and I don’t always get on, and you think I’m a bit lame -”

“I think you’re a fucking idiot,” he interrupted. James looked around, anxiously hoping nobody overheard the kid’s language. 

“There are innocent ears here, so do you _think_ you could _try_ not to swear? Also the elf there is really cute and I really want to talk to her. So do you think you could try to be a _normal_ kid and be nice for once?” 

Tommy peeked his head around James’ body so he could see her more clearly. “Damn,” he said with a soft whistle then looked back to James. “You’ve got no chance. _But_ ... it will be entertaining to watch you get shot down, so sure. I can turn on the charm when I want to. I have a _lot_ of rich relatives you know.”

“I know you do. I work for most of them,” James muttered more to himself than to Tommy. “Now best behavior. I want to make a good impression.” James ignored the dramatic eye roll, then laughed out loud at the wink and thumbs up Tommy threw over his shoulder.

The family in front of them went in and they were the next in line. She turned to greet them and James thought he noticed a spark of recognition in her eyes when she saw him standing there. 

“Oh,” she said, blinking in surprise. “Don’t I know you?”

James’ confidence wavered slightly, but he didn’t let it show. “Have we met? Because I’m sure if I had ever come face to face with someone as stunning as you before I would definitely remember.” 

_“‘Stunning?_ What kind of cheesy - _oh my god,”_ she said, placing her hand with the clipboard on her hip and waving a red gloved finger in his face. “I know exactly who you are! You’re that messy haired dope that Marlene tried to set me up with in Uni! You stood me up! You- what’s your name again?”

“His name is James, and I’m Tommy. We’re here to see Santa, not chitchat.” James scowled at his charge without the hot elf noticing. “But I guess we have to wait anyway. So, what’s your name and are you single?” 

“My _name_ is Sugarplum,” she said, pointing to her name tag that did, indeed, say _Sugarplum._ “At least it is between the hours of nine and eight. My relationship status is none of your business.”

James racked his brain, desperately trying to remember her, but still coming up with nothing. Stood her up? He had never stood up anyone in his life, certainly not without a good reason, and cancelling before the date happened? Knowing how badly this first - second?- meeting was going, he attempted to rescue the situation as best he could. “Please excuse my young friend here. He just hates to see me all alone at Christmas.” He ruffled the kids perfectly styled hair, ignoring the death stare he received in return. “It’s nice to meet you, _Sugarplum._ That’s such a lovely _festive_ name.” 

The elf’s eyes rolled so far back in her head that James was surprised they didn’t get stuck. 

“I’m _sure,”_ she said, drawing out the word and tapping a jingled foot impatiently. “But as _tragic_ as it is that you’re so terribly alone this time of year, it’s really none of my concern. Would you like to see Santa now? That is something I can _actually_ help you with.”

“We _do_ really want to see Santa, but also I would love to have the chance to meet you again, away from the Christmas that taste forgot.” He paused to gauge her reaction to his minor insult of her working environment. She returned his look flatly, and James could feel himself start to sweat under the pressure of her disapproval. “It seems at some point I’ve upset you, and I’m sorry for that.. Let me make it up to you?” His car crash of a pick up attempt now had an audience as another happy looking family joined the que. James suddenly realized he must look like some kind of desperate single dad chatting up the elf. He just wanted this moment to be over.

Tommy’s quiet sniggers had changed to full blown giggles now. James didn’t know what on earth he could do to rescue this situation, he hated the idea that someone was upset with him and he needed to fix that. Unfortunately any chance of this was taken swiftly out of his hands.

“Listen,” the elf said, adjusting her hat in such a way that James knew she meant business. “This can go one of two ways. Either you, realizing that you have completely _no_ chance with me, because not only can you not remember my _name,_ but you’ve also already got a bad track record with me, walk up to see Santa without making any further of a scene. _Or_ I call the security guard over there and get you booted out.”

James was going to make one last attempt to apologize to her, but before he did a small hand was tapping on his arm. 

“Well what can I say. You tried, you failed , s _pectacularly,_ by the way _._ Now, I want to see Santa, so let’s move it James.” Tommy turned to address her again. “Sorry about him, toots. I told him he had no chance, but he just never listens to me. Your put downs were _perfect_. I tell you, these clowns my mum hires are getting dumber every year.” James ground his teeth together once more in a grimace of a smile. He still wanted to say something to her, but the way she was watching him with such disapproval made him think better of it. 

“Come on then buddy, we’ve bothered the lady long enough.” He gripped the back of Tommy’s neck and they went inside. 

* * *

Ten to fifteen minutes later, James and Tommy were sitting in the food court. A large chocolate milkshake was Tommy’s treat for not swearing in front of the other children or Santa. James had ordered himself a coffee, but it was sitting untouched as he rolled his forehead on the table, his glasses pushed up and sitting in his hair. 

“Why can’t I remember who she is?” He tried to recall the conversation he’d just had, and a name came back to him. He looked up suddenly. “She said Marlene set us up,” he said, taking out his phone and going to his social media page. “I’ve not seen or spoken to her since Uni. Would it be weird to just call her out the blue?”

“Are you actually talking to me, because I really don’t care,” Tommy replied, not looking up from his milkshake. 

James ignored him, and found Marlene’s page easily. A quick scan through their mutuals came up with nothing so he started to look through her friends. 

“Holy smokes, Marls has a lot of friends,” he muttered, scrolling through looking for the elf girl. 

“Give it here dumb ass,” Tommy said, putting out his hand for the phone. James only hesitated for a moment before handing it over. He watched the younger boys thumbs tap and swipe across the screen. “I don’t see how this is going to help you in any way, but here you go. There she is.” He casually handed back the phone, going back to his milkshake. 

“How?” James glanced at his phone, then back at Tommy agape. He squinted doubtfully at the image on the screen. “You can’t even see her face. Are you sure that’s her?”

“Super sure. She’s in a thread chat with your friend Marlene about starting a new job here, and having to wear silly shoes with bells on them. And in the picture she’s got red hair and the other elf was blonde.”

“All I can see is a massive ginger cat and... a hand?” He tried to enlarge the picture. Tommy just sighed. 

“Is the name familiar?” 

In all his amazement that he had found her, he’d forgotten to actually look at the name.

_Lily Evans._

It took a hot minute, then like puzzle pieces slowly fitting together, it dawned on him. 

“Holy fudge, it’s Lily. Wow, that was forever ago,” he paused, thinking back to that day. He was never going to forget that day, and for all the wrong reasons. “Yeah...I think I know now why she’s still mad at me.”

He ruffled his hair, trying to think of a way that he could possibly make it up to her. “We have to visit Santa again.” He told Tommy decisively, who snorted a laugh. 

“That’s your plan? Just walk right up and embarrass yourself _again?_ ” He shook his head and played with the straw of his shake. “As much as I would _love_ to watch you do that, Mum only paid for me to see him once, and to be honest, that was enough for me. That dude’s a bit creepy.”

“He had a genuine beard and a sparkle in his eyes so that makes him creepy?” James despaired with this kid, who acted more like a mini adult. He had been quite surprised when he had actually wanted to see Santa. He thought Tommy had stopped believing in anything remotely magical long ago.

“Hey, what can I say? I’ve had a fucked up childhood.”

“Can you _please_ not swear?”

“Somebody has to. We can’t all be dorks like you. But watching you fail again _would_ really make my year.” Tommy’s insults were as fake as the rest of his bluster, and James knew this. It was a defense mechanism, soon enough James would be replaced by someone else and poor Tommy would have to break in another idiot. 

“Come on then, let's see if we can join the line again.” But before he could stand up his phone started ringing. He sighed inwardly but made sure none of his frustrations transferred to his voice. “Paulina,” he answered brightly, picking up after the first ring, “Yes, of course…”

* * *

Elf shoes held no support.

Which was unfortunate, considering Lily’s job required her to be on her feet for the majority of the day. Honestly, it was as if the only chair in existence in the North Pole belonged to Saint Nick himself. 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” she groaned, slipping her shoes over her aching feet. “I don’t get paid enough for this shit.”

“Huh, that’s funny,” said Mary, applying a fresh layer of candy red lipstick to her bottom lip in the dressing room mirror. “Because, unless I was seeing things, it looks like this job nearly got you a free meal yesterday.”

“Free meal - _oh my god,_ you’re talking about that messy haired bloke, aren’t you?”

“Who else? Does messy haired bloke have a name, by the way?” 

Lily could see the way Mary was smirking in the mirror as she tugged her too-tight, too-short, just _perfect_ for Mary Macdonald elf dress down a bit, the bells jingling. 

“James,” spat Lily, as though the name left a bad taste in her mouth. “His name is James, I believe.”

 _“James,”_ repeated Mary. She said it as though it were the sweetest name in the world, as though honey dropped from it. It made Lily’s toes curl. “James is a good name. A _strong_ name. I’ve never met a James I didn’t like.”

“Well, I have,” said Lily, standing and marching out towards Santa’s Village where a line had already formed. “That one.I hope I never see him again- ”

Lily blinked, stopping short. 

A shock of messy hair catching her eye in the front of the line. 

_Fucking hell._

“Oh _no,_ ” Lily groaned, pointing towards the front of the line where James Potter and his charge from yesterday stood, _yet again_ . “Oh my _god,_ he came back! Why did he come back?”

Lily was aware her voice was carrying, but didn’t care. Not even when said messy haired idiot turned to look at her, waving as though she were an old friend. Not some girl he had stood up years ago in some restaurant, making her wait for over an hour with a glass of wine and a basket of breadsticks, making her look like a fool. 

“Hmm,” hummed Mary from behind Lily, causing her to snap out of thoughts. “I’ll give you three guesses. And it certainly isn’t for the charming aesthetic.”

“Hide me!” cried Lily, attempting to dodge behind Mary and make a run for it. 

But, unfortunately for her, Lily’s best mate was a traitor.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Mary, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing her forward. “It’s just one fit looking bloke. How much trouble can he really be?”

“Mary! You let go of me this instant,” growled Lily, digging her heels into the ground. Lily was nearly dead weighting herself on top of Mary, but the blonde had pushed them to Santa’s Village as though it were just another casual stroll for her. “Jesus - how strong are you?”

“Lily, you know I’ve been going to the gym five days a week since they assigned me to that snack of a trainer,” whispered Mary before looking across Lily’s shoulder to the crowd. Her face instantly changed to the fakest smile Lily had ever seen in her whole life, while Lily herself still wore a scowl. “Welcome to Santa’s Village! We apologize for your wait! But we’re here now and Santa is looking forward to meeting all the good little boys and girls!”

A chorus of small cheers and clapping broke out among the crowd, all except for the same boy from yesterday with Potter, who was eyeing them all with as much disdain as Lily.

“ _Lily,”_ hissed Mary. “Go open the gates!”

“Why don’t we switch roles today? Why don’t I help the photographer and Santa with the kids and you welcome the guests?”

“Because, _Lily,_ you can’t seem to make a kid smile,” said Mary, rolling her eyes, but still holding that insane smile.

“That’s not true!” protested Lily. “I made the one older boy laugh the other day!” 

“That’s because you dropped your clipboard on your foot and _cursed_ , Lily! And you’re lucky Mrs. Clause didn’t hear! She would have booted you out!”

“That’s not -“

 _“Go!”_ snapped Mary, forcefully pushing Lily so she stumbled. “People are waiting!”

Lily groaned loudly, dragging her jingled, unsupported feet to the front of the line where a slew of eager little faces watched as she unhooked the gates. One such face looked far more itching and older than all the rest, though Lily was certain by the way that his eyes remained on her that he was rather uninterested in Santa. 

_“What are you doing here?”_ hissed Lily, speaking quietly so no one else could hear. “You already _had_ your picture with Santa! Yesterday!”

“I wanted a chance to explain myself, Lily. I didn’t want you to think that I’m just some terrible person who would stand you up on purpose. I always assumed Marlene would have told you about what happened since she visited the hospital at the time.”

Lily frowned, blinking as she processed his jumbled excuse. She hadn’t known when she agreed to the blind date years ago how fast of a talker he was. Though, that probably had more to do with her death stare she was giving him. She was quite proud of it, having perfected it over the past few years. She could make a grown man stop dead in his tracks with one glare.

“Actually, my name is _Mistletoe_ today,” she said, pointing to her name tag. “But kudos to you for stalking me enough to actually figure out my real name. And I don’t want to hear whatever _lame_ excuse you’ve come up with _six years_ after you’ve stood me up.”

James blinked in response to her tone before speaking. “I’m not trying to give any kind of excuse, lame or otherwise. I genuinely was on my way to meet you when I got the call about my brother. I’ll spare you the details because I’m not after your sympathy. I’ve never had anyone mad at me for this long before, and I don’t like it.” He smiled showing two lines of perfectly white teeth. “It’s totally my fault for not trying to call you sooner. I lost touch with Marls and most of the uni gang after I started my internship.” Her glare had not changed as he continued to ramble. “But that’s not important. What _is_ important is how much I want to make it up to you” 

“I have no intention of letting you make it up to me,” scoffed Lily. The _nerve_ of this boy, coming up with such a moronic excuse. “And you’re holding up the line.” She blinked, suddenly confused. “How did you figure out my name anyway? I’d like to know before I get you officially kicked out.”

“We _are_ paying customers! Tommy desperately wants to see Santa again,” said James earnestly, though the look on the young boy's face relayed how deeply untrue that actually was. “And finding your Facebook page through Marlene’s was all him too. I wouldn’t have believed it was really you in the picture. Couldn’t really see anything past the giant fur ball cat, to be honest.”

“It wasn’t that hard, really. It’s just this guy can’t find shit.” Tommy relayed, nonchalantly, making James sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose where his glasses would normally rest. “Chill out will ya. Nobody heard, and Lily doesn’t count.”

 _“Excuse me,”_ hissed Lily, sounding rather like a cat herself. “Conrad is _not_ a _fur ball._ He’s fluffy! There’s a difference! And if you’re really here to see Santa, then move along! He’s ready for you now.”

“That’s strike two,” Tommy chortled, making his way past Lily. 

James sighed again. 

“I’m making such a mess of this again, aren’t I?” He shook his head before she could give any affirmation. “You don’t need to answer. I didn’t mean any harm. It's just... as handsome as your cat is, they can’t hold a candle to their owner. See ya, _Mistletoe.”_

Lily was about to snap that Conrad is indeed handsome. The most handsome of cats, thank you very much. But James walked past her at a respectful distance as though he was certain she would clock him if he got too close, and Lily found herself looking down at a pair of wide blue eyes hidden behind blonde ringlets instead.

“Excuse me, do you make the toys? Are you a _toy_ elf? Or are you like that _Shermy_ guy from Rudolph who wants to be a dentist?”

Lily looked down at the little girl tugging on her elf tutu. 

“Oh, um -”

“It’s _Hermy,_ dear,” the girl’s mother corrected, looking down at her daughter with a smile that made Lily wrinkle her nose. 

“No,” said Lily, her eyes darting quickly to where James Potter was paying for _another_ picture with Santa. “I’m just a picture elf.”

“Oh,” said the little girl, neither impressed or dissatisfied. “That’s acceptable. I guess.”

* * *

James was not having a good week. If he was being completely honest, he hadn’t had a good month. If he was being even _more_ honest, he couldn’t remember the last good day he had. 

Tommy - the man child - had been shipped off to his grandparents, James’ latest article submission had been flagged for too much political input when all that was asked for was light fluff and gossip,and to top it all off, he was back in the shopping center that Christmas threw up all over, buying Christmas gifts for his boss to hand out generously at the office party, without any _good_ reason to perhaps try and see Lily. Not that he was thinking about her. Not all the time anyway. 

Somehow he needed to find the time to buy his own Christmas presents along with everything else. He was determined he wasn’t going to disappoint his friends and family again this year. Now he was just like every other person in this god forsaken place. Weighed down by too many bags and not nearly enough time. Just as he decided he needed a break on this hellish misadventure, his stomach growled at him, almost as angrily as he was feeling. He thought he could grab a bite to eat on the boss's dime before moving onto another soulless shopping mall. Spinning around, he looked for any signs to the food court and a chance to put down these flipping bags. 

He wasn’t looking where he was going when he very nearly bumped straight into a long line of people. Stopping himself just in time, he spotted a pair of stripy tights first followed by striking red hair. 

“Lily?”

Her head whipped around, the giant bell at the end of her flopping hat jingling with the movement. She was standing in line for the McDonald’s. A very _immobile_ line, apparently.

“What - oh, it’s you,” she said, wrinkling her nose, the little freckles scattered across it scrunching. “Come to blunder another attempt of asking me out, have you?”

He made his way over to where she was standing, trying his best not to bump anyone with the dozen or so bags he was already carrying. 

“What? Of course not! I’ve been trying to run a million jobs for my boss while attempting to get presents for my own family too. And just, you know, trying to go about my own life. You made it quite clear you weren’t interested in even an apology.” He looked at the unmoving line and her position in it. “You must _really_ like McDonald’s. I was just going to grab something quick at whatever place doesn’t have a line a mile long.” 

Her eyes darted over him quickly, as though _he_ was the one in a ridiculous costume. 

“You really aren’t here to see me?” she asked, her head tilted so the hat slid ever so slightly.

“Scouts honor,” he smiled at the doubtful look she was giving him. “If you don’t want to believe me, that’s fine. _I’m_ going to grab something to eat, you are welcome to join me, _or_ you can wait in this never ending line for the rest of your lunch break?” He kept his voice as nonchalant as possible. He didn’t want her to know exactly _how_ much he wanted her to join him. He genuinely hadn't expected to bump into her, but now that she was right there, standing in front of him, biting her bottom lip in doubtful thought. She looked completely adorable in her elf costume. He really _really_ wanted her to agree. 

“I _really_ wanted a pie. Their pies are the best,” she said, slowly, as though the pie was James’ greatest competition. She bit her lip again. “But the line _isn’t_ moving. At all.”

“Certainly doesn’t look like it's moving. Tell you what I’ll bring you something if you’re still waiting here in line.” He offered as he took a few steps away. 

“Wait,” she called when he had backed away a bit. Her eyes were skewed shut as though she were in a great deal of pain. “That restaurant...the little one down the road from here. They have pies, don’t they?” He couldn’t help the twitch of a smile turning the corners of his mouth up. 

“I don’t know anywhere outside this place, but more than likely,” he conceded watching her wrestle with some kind of internal dilemma. “It’s the time of year for pies, after all. Is the idea of eating with me really that bad?” 

“It depends,” she said. “Do I have to pay?”

“Nope. My treat.”

"That'll probably make it more bearable," conceded Lily, only half joking. "Let's go then."

* * *

_Sidetracked Cafe_ was an older sort of restaurant. One that appeared to have been an older home, remodeled but not renovated entirely. It probably had been a bit miserable to live in, Lily thought, considering it was placed...well, directly next to some train tracks. 

It still held it’s old charms in the way the floorboards groaned and creaked when James and Lily were ushered to their table in what appeared to once be the living area. 

When Lily finally took her seat on an upholstered dining chair she drew a breath, deep and swelling inside of her, and she was reminded of her grandmother’s old house. The smell of older cedarwood and something like flour sent her back to a time where she was five, and Christmases hadn’t been so lonely. 

But the best part, the _warmest_ part, was the pie. 

McDonald’s didn’t have wildberry pie, warm and fresh from the oven. 

“Oh, god,” she practically moaned into her fork. “This is _good.”_

James hadn’t said anything when she ordered _just_ a pie, even though there were loads of equally delicious, _meal_ worthy things on the menu. He had simply smirked at her as he was doing now. 

He took a long sip from his cup of coffee as he watched her, his lips curling up in just a hint of a smile. 

“I think this is the happiest I’ve seen you. It must be good.” 

“It’s fucking brilliant is what it is,” she said, not caring in the slightest that her mouth was half full or the least bit foul. “Here, try some.”

Lily wondered if the fine line between love and hate rested there at the tip of her fork which she extended across the table towards him. 

If, perhaps, the very act of forgiveness for her existed inside the small bite of pie she was offering him. 

She was probably being dramatic, she realized. But a good pie often caused flare ups of the dramatic sort. 

“Oh wow!” James said, the flavors meeting his tongue. “It’s like an out of body experience.”

“Right!” she said, grinning. 

_Grinning._

Something she hadn’t done at all around him, but now felt the most natural. 

“You have a really nice smile,” he said before ducking his head sheepishly, clutching his cup, he paused a moment before looking up almost over the top of his thick framed glasses. “I’m sorry. I promise that wasn’t a line. It’s just... I spend my working days surrounded by miserable, fashionable, people who suck the joy out of everything. It's nice to see a genuine positive reaction to something. Especially something as simple as a slice of pie.”

“No, it’s okay,” said Lily, smiling into her pie. “I mean, it sort of _was_ a line. But I didn’t mind it. It was a good line, considering the fact that my smile is caked in pie right now and I’m sure not all that attractive.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” he murmured, taking a sip of coffee. “I mean as smiles go, I would put yours pretty high up on my list of genuine and attractive, regardless of the accompanying pie.” He shook his head at his own words “I promise I’m not trying to flirt. This was not how I was expecting our first proper conversation going.”

“No? And how did you expect it to go in that head of yours, if I may ask.”

“Erm,” he shuffled his hair and looked around as if the answer was going to jump out of the scenery at him. “I wanted to ask you how you’ve been doing? What got you into being an elf? Thought we might talk about how terrible my life is so you feel sorry for me.” His tone made the last part sound like he was only half joking.

“Well, I already feel a bit sorry for you,” she said, pushing around the last gooey bit of pie filling around with her fork. “Wanting so badly to go on a date with a woman who is so far down on her luck that she’s gotten a job as a _Christmas elf_ for the holiday season.”

“What? So you’re telling me it’s _not_ a lifelong dream?” he quipped, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Lily laughed, the sound bouncing across the walls of the restaurant. “No, believe it or not. I was not dying to squeeze into these tights as a little girl, and pass out little toy rubber duckies to children that asked for a game system for Christmas.”

“Shame, because you wear it so well. So what _was_ your dream as a child?”

“No way, nope. _That_ is a first date question. One you would already know the answer to had you actually attended our first date,” said Lily, half teasing, half serious.

She could feel her guard falling, and wondered if she ought to be trying harder to keep it steady. 

“I _do_ want to apologize for standing you up. It was such a doughnut move, and it really wasn’t on purpose. I take it Marlene never told you what happened to my brother, Sirius?” He continued as he saw her shake her head. “I was on my way to our date when I got a call that he'd had an accident on his bike. I just kind of stopped everything and went straight to the hospital. I know I should have called the restaurant at least, I wish I had. Everything just fell apart for a time, until we knew he was on the mend.”

“Oh my god,” said Lily, gaping and feeling like an arse. “ _Oh my god._ I’m so sorry. I never knew. I mean, Marlene...she never told me -”

“It’s fine. There’s no way you could have known if she didn’t tell you.”He looked like he was going to say more, but the next second he paused, a scowl forming on his face as he lifted his phone that had started dancing across the table. “Paulina,” he answered, smiling apologetically at Lily. “Almost done, yes of course. Right now?” His eyes closed as he listened and inhaled deeply. The weight of his job that seemed to have momentarily lifted during their brief randevu fell on him once more. “Yes Paulina, I'll meet you at the office.” 

Lily gripped her fork, wanting desperately to tell Paulina that whatever the fuck she needed at this exact moment could wait. That this conversation they were having - were _trying_ to have - was far more important and long overdue. 

She had been a right bitch towards him, never once giving him the chance to explain his side of things, but she knew that as soon as he hung up the phone and gave her the same overworked, overtired look she was sure she herself wore during the week, that any sort of conversation was going to be put on hold. 

“You have to go,” said Lily, no questioning in her voice. She wanted to beg him to skive off and stay here with her, to split another pie and tell her everything. But she knew she couldn’t. 

“I do.” He replied. Sounding like it was the last thing in the world he wanted to. “I wish I could stay. I wish we’d had our date the first time round.” 

“I wish we did too,” said Lily, softly. She was surprised he heard her, but knew that he did in the way he smiled down at his cup. “It’s too bad you can’t turn back time, isn’t it? Who knows where we would be if we had been able to go on a proper first date.”

He fished a crisp note out of his wallet. “As promised my treat. It was great to finally have lunch with you. Even if it was a few years overdue.” 

“You too,” said Lily. “I’m just sorry it had to be cut short.”

“I am too,” he said, looking down at his phone and sighing at the time. “I’d better go ahead and get back before she loses it. Happy Christmas, Lily.”

“Happy Christmas, James.”

Lily watched him stand, hands clasped in her lap, and giving him a parting smile as he walked towards the door, stopping just once to wave to her before leaving. 

And then she was just _Lily._

Lily in her Christmas elf outfit with her too tight-tights, and her bells that jingle when she swayed.

But underneath all that - all the frill and Christmas lace - her heart was thumping uncomfortably and her mind was racing. 

Was there a time limit on Christmas miracles?

She wasn’t sure, and the only person who probably would know would be -

“Excuse me, my dear, but is this seat taken?”

_“Santa?”_

Lily was foolish, of course. But who could blame her for being fooled when an old man with a white beard dressed as Saint Nick himself was standing before her. It took her a few moments of blinking to realize that it wasn’t the _actual_ Santa Claus that was asking to sit down, but rather, the mall Santa who she escorted children to everyday during her working hours. 

The mall Santa chuckled. “Now, now. I think when we’re outside of my workshop the centre provides me you can call me by my given name.”

Lily blushed, the heat of her embarrassment making the fabric of her elf costume even more uncomfortable against her skin. 

“I’m _so_ sorry! I didn’t see you, and then when I did... well, you startled me,” she sputtered. She gestured to the seat across from her, nearly knocking over the salt and pepper shakers over in her nerves. “Please sit down, Albus. I would love for you to join me.”

Albus Dumbledore. He and Lily had traded names at the start of the Christmas season, but most of their interaction involved a child being passed between them with a mile long list of Christmas wishes. She had wondered, once or twice, if the twinkle in his eye was a practiced bit for the children. Something reserved only for them. But now she knew he must carry it with him always, for it was staring right back at her.

“Forgive me for prying, but it looks as though I had just interrupted a thought before I came over. In fact, the very reason I _did_ come over was because the thought in your eyes looked so interesting that I just had to know what it was for myself.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” said Lily, nervously tucking some hair behind her ear. “Not so much of a thought as it is…”

“A boy?” offered Dumbledore, smiling. 

“Yes,” said Lily, blinking. “How’d you know?”

“Just a hunch. Boys typically cause jumbled up thoughts. Speaking from past experience, of course.”

“Of course,” repeated Lily, lamely. She had no idea what past experience meant for him, but she wasn’t about to ask. 

“Tell me about him,” said Dumbledore, kindly. 

“Well, that’s the thing,” she said, knowing she was blushing as brightly as the red trim in her elf costume. “I don’t really know him all that well. I _could_ get to know him. Or could have had I not been so very difficult every time he tried.”

“Do you want to get to know him?”

“Yes - no. I don’t know. _Maybe.”_

Dumbledore laughed, and even _that_ sounded so very much like Santa. She was beginning to get suspicious. Or she would have, at least, had she not stopped believing in that sort of stuff a long time ago. 

“My dear, I think if you didn’t want to get to know him better, you wouldn’t be at this cafe thinking about him this very moment.”

“But the timing is...it’s all wrong. It’s always been all wrong with us. And now I feel like it’s just run out. There’s nowhere left to go after this. He’s gone, today is my last day working this job, and Christmas is almost over.”

“But that’s the funny thing about time,” said Dumbledore, taking a sip of his coffee. “There’s no limit to it.”

* * *

James spent Christmas Day with his family, watching the fun and joy they were all having like he was an outside observer, not allowed to join in with his own happy feelings. He hadn’t remembered to give Lily his number. He hadn’t been able to even try to see her again. This year had been a complete disaster. 

Just one long, endless, disaster. 

It was almost a relief to have to go back to work, where he didn’t have the time to sit still and overthink everything he should have done, or said. He had missed his chance. Again. He doubted very much that he would get another one.

Work- or, more correctly, his boss Paulina - took up all his time and energy. The breadcrumbs of articles she would feed him gave him just enough hope to rethink quitting, despite Sirius and the rest of his friends telling him constantly to do just that. He knew he was no more than an assistant, hired on the pretense of an internship, but he only had to last four more months. Four months and he would have his pick of magazines to work for. That was the deal. That was why he put up with everything the infamous Paulina threw at him. Literally and figuratively. 

His boss had been in a meeting for over an hour. During that time he had been fielding all her calls and taking endless messages and making sure they were listed in order of priority. It wasn’t really a surprise when the phone rang again, though this time it showed the reception desk calling. 

“Hey Monique, is there a courier for me?”

“Not a courier no. But there’s a girl here to see you. Shall I send her up?”

James’ heart started to beat quickly in his chest. Was it too much to hope?

“Did she tell you her name?” He asked, keeping his tone as normal as possible. 

“She told me to tell you... _Mistletoe?”_ James could hear the smile in Monique’s voice over the phone. He knew this would be the talk of the whole magazine by closing time. It was not normally his style to cause gossip, but this time he couldn’t care less. The fact that she had taken the time to find him must be something positive, surely.

“Tell her to wait there. I’ll be right down.” He hung up the phone and went to dash downstairs, but before he did he realised there wasn’t anyone immediately available to cover the desk. 

The gods were truly smiling on him that day, because just as he was wondering who he could call, the meeting ended and his boss walked out with everyone else trailing behind her. 

“I’m working from home for the rest of the day, make sure to divert any important calls to my mobile. But _only_ if they are important.” She handed him a list. “I need these things done by tomorrow morning. Make sure Peter knows to pick me up at seven tomorrow morning. Are my bags packed?”

“Your housekeeper told me they are ready and waiting to be collected. Here are your messages.” She looked at the bundle of post-its like he was handing her a dead animal. “Frank wants to know if you want him to run with the blue or the violet for the photo shoot?”

Paulina pinched her nose and paused dramatically. “I told him turquoise. Why am I surrounded by such incompetent people?” 

James was determined to keep his cool. Soon he would have some freedom back.“I will get right on that Paulina. Have a great weekend.” He actually sounded genuinely happy when he spoke. For the first time in a long time he didn’t have to force a smile. She looked back at him shrewdly and he dropped his smile quickly. If she knew he was happy, she might contrive a way to make him work this weekend just to make sure he stayed miserable. Luckily for him, her eyes slid off him and to the lift that had just announced it’s arrival with the familiar _bing bong._ As soon as the doors closed on her, he called back down to reception. “Can you send Miss Mistletoe up?” He just had a few jobs to finish, and he set to them with more enthusiasm than he had shown in months.

Frank wasn't happy to be told a third colour, but just like everybody else who worked there, he swore at James, cursed Paulina, then accepted the message and moved on. James let it all wash over him without affecting his mood. 

“You know,” said a voice from behind him, “for a guy who used to show up at my work several times a week, you’re pretty hard to track down right now.”

He couldn’t stop the massive grin that spread across his face upon hearing her warm tone.“I’m impressed that you did,” he told her without looking up from his computer screen. He needed to make sure he added the out of office message and logged off. “Sometimes not even my own family can find…” 

Whatever he was about to say left his mind when he finally looked at her. He had never seen her in anything other than her Christmas elf outfit. He hadn’t even thought of the fact that she would own other clothes, but there she was, standing in a pair of jeans and an over sized blue jumper that hung slightly off her shoulder and made her hair seem an even brighter red. She looked stunning. 

“It was actually pretty hard,” she said, smiling at him, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “You’re awfully hard to find on Facebook, for a guy named _James Potter._ It was Marlene, actually, who tipped me off about your middle name. Once I typed in James _Fleamont_ Potter, well, needless to say, you’re the only one.”

“True.” He stepped out from behind the desk. “It’s really nice to see you out of your costume. Although the bells were pretty cute.”

“Yeah, I’m still getting used to not jingling everywhere I go,” said Lily, shrugging. “It feels weird, honestly. Weirder than I thought it would.”

“Not that I’m complaining that you’re here, but what exactly brought you to track me down?” He leaned back against his desk trying to keep a casual air. It felt totally surreal for her to be standing there. The memory of her warm laughter and bright smile as they sat in that tiny cafe had become almost dream-like in its perfection. 

“I guess - I just wanted to see you. I mean, _properly_ see you. Without the shopping centre or the costumes.” 

“This time the timing can’t be any more perfect since my _delightful_ boss is going on a business trip to Japan. This time she doesn’t need me to go with her, so I _do_ have time. Do you have any idea how wonderful that sentence sounds?” He ruffled his hair, feeling brave.“I’ve wanted to see you too, but I haven’t had a moment to try and track you down.”

“Your boss sounds like a _dream,”_ laughed Lily. “Honestly, does she ever let you out of the office unless you’re with her kid?”

His first instinct was to defend his boss like he always did around his friends and family, but this time it felt different. He hardly knew anything about this girl, but still he wanted to be honest with her. To share his insecurities. She had tried to find him. Had actually shown up at his office. 

“Tommy owes me a fiver. He thought I’d never see you again.”

He swore he saw her blush, the tint of pink crossing prettily across her cheeks. She bit her lip, tucking some hair behind her ear, and suddenly found the ground very interesting.

“I suppose that’s a bit my fault though, really,” she said. When she finally looked back up at him, there was no humor hidden in her features. “I mean, I was _awful_ to you. Each and every time you came back, I was pretty awful. I’m surprised you kept coming back, honestly. I certainly wouldn’t have.”

“Perhaps you could call me conceited, but I’m not used to people disliking me on sight, and I needed to find out why. Once I did, I just had to make it up to you. You don't deserve being treated that way. Our last meeting was just fate. Fate and a magical pie,” he quipped. “I don’t think we’d be having this conversation if I hadn’t bumped into you at that line.”

“Maybe we would have eventually. Fate is such a funny thing. And, if it means anything to you, I don’t dislike you. At least not anymore. I’m not sure I ever really did.”

He smiled at her, his chest swelling with courage and something else. Spontaneity, perhaps. “Do you wanna get outta here?" He walked over to the small cupboard, hidden as another part of the wall panels to get his jacket. It gave him a moment to catch his breath, to try and still his racing heart. He had blown so many chances with Lily already, this was going so well it was messing with his nerve. He turned back to her jacket in hand."You know, before some disaster happens that I have to fix?” 

“We can’t leave yet,” said Lily, shaking her head. “I haven’t finished what I’ve come here to do, and I promised myself I wouldn’t step foot out of here until I did.”

James was surprised at her sudden serious tone and look, as if this was something vastly important that she had been working herself up to. “Okay,” he said gently. “Whatever you need to do.”

“Okay, well, here’s the thing. You’ve asked me out...how many times now? Three? Four?”

James shrugged and became very interested in a mark on his jacket. “Something like that, yeah.” 

“And each time you’ve gone completely out of your way to do it, and so I thought it would only be fair for me to do the same now,” she said, squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath before continuing. “James _Fleamont_ Potter, do you have plans for this afternoon?” 

He thought about this. About how completely empty his schedule was for the rest of the day, and for the next two weeks at least. Compared to how his life had been, up until that very moment, it was like the stars had finally aligned for them. 

She was beautiful, funny, and feisty. Mixed with probably another dozen amazingly positive things he had yet to find out about her. 

And he...

He was finally free. 

Or as free as one person could be when their boss was heading for another country.

All these thoughts happened in a moment, but it was long enough for Lily to bite her lip and clasp her hands in a rare moment of vulnerability. 

He grinned.

“Actually, Miss Evans, my calendar has just cleared up.”


End file.
